Year: 2020

Russia has sent military medics and equipment to Serbia, the latest country Moscow is helping to fight the global coronavirus pandemic as it also flexes its soft power muscles. Russia’s Defense Ministry pledged to send 11 flights with 87 army medics to Serbia after President Vladimir Putin spoke with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic by phone…

Prague authorities on Friday said they had removed a controversial Soviet-era statue, despite protests from Moscow, to make way for a World War II memorial. Plans to remove the bronze statue of Soviet general Ivan Konev triggered a sharp reaction from Moscow last year. While Konev is regarded as a hero in Russia, many Czechs…

Читайте русскую версию здесь. “Oh, come on! Virus? What virus?” Olga, a 35-year-old businesswoman waved her hand dismissively. “It’s a conspiracy, not a virus. Whose conspiracy? The Chinese, who do you think?! They released it so they could get ahead of Europe and Russia and rule the world. They’ve got a vaccine for it.” Olga,…

The United States may have violated its own sanctions by purchasing ventilators and other protective gear from Russia to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the RBC news website reported Friday. Footage of the controversial cargo during unloading in New York showed boxes of ventilators made by a subsidiary of Russia’s KRET tech firm, itself a subsidiary…

As the only remaining independent, English-language news source reporting from Russia, The Moscow Times plays a critical role in connecting Russia to the world. Editorial decisions are made entirely by journalists in our newsroom, who adhere to the highest ethical standards. We fearlessly cover issues that are often considered off-limits or taboo in Russia, from…

Moscow will not enforce its coronavirus quarantine with scannable QR codes, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced Thursday, leaving room for a reversal if residents stop following self-isolation orders during the pandemic. Sobyanin extended citywide lockdown measures until May 1 immediately after President Vladimir Putin announced a month-long extension of the nationwide paid “non-working” period to encourage…

Russia’s top climate scientist Dr. Vladimir Kattsov is confident that serious environmental changes lie in store this century. “Russia is among the countries where the average warming greatly exceeds the global average, and Russia is warming especially quickly the closer you get to the Arctic,” Kattsov, 58, told The Moscow Times in an interview in…

The FBI has arrested a Russian rapper in the United States on cryptocurrency laundering charges after finding photographs of him flashing large sums of money on social media, authorities have said. Maxim Boyko, 29, was arrested at a Miami condo Saturday, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, after arriving in the U.S. with his wife in…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 53,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to tackle the pandemic and prevent its spread within the country. There have been 4,149 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 34 deaths. MT The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia as…

Russia’s officially reported numbers — which are still smaller than those in European countries — have sparked suspicion. Experts warn that Russia’s testing capacity is hampered by bureaucracy, while officials warn that the real number of cases is likely much higher. Most of Russia’s cases are in Moscow. Last week, Moscow changed the way it…

The Russian economy has been rocked by the coronavirus outbreak, and the breakdown of the OPEC+ oil production pact between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The turmoil has shocked traders around the world and resulted in sharp volatility on the Russian stock markets and swings in the value of the ruble. The latest on the markets,…

Russia on Thursday published a government decree establishing an export quota for certain grains until the end of June as its virus cases spiked. The measures came after the heads of three global agencies including the World Trade Organization and the World Health Organisation on Wednesday warned countries against imposing export restrictions that could interrupt…

Russia could be heading for its deepest recession in a generation with millions of workers set to lose their jobs, economists have warned, in a stark assessment of the economic costs of the coronavirus outbreak, and Russia’s response to the pandemic. In an address to the nation Thursday afternoon, President Vladimir Putin extended a shutdown…

As the only remaining independent, English-language news source reporting from Russia, The Moscow Times plays a critical role in connecting Russia to the world. Editorial decisions are made entirely by journalists in our newsroom, who adhere to the highest ethical standards. We fearlessly cover issues that are often considered off-limits or taboo in Russia, from…

Russian Fashion Council with support of Fashion Fund has announced the dates of the virtual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia. On April 4 and 5, both emerging and established designers will present their new collections. For the first time ever, the event will be totally digital. This solution was developed to support designers and fashion houses…

As the only remaining independent, English-language news source reporting from Russia, The Moscow Times plays a critical role in connecting Russia to the world. Editorial decisions are made entirely by journalists in our newsroom, who adhere to the highest ethical standards. We fearlessly cover issues that are often considered off-limits or taboo in Russia, from…

President Vladimir Putin announced the extension of Russia’s nationwide “non-working week” until April 30 after the country registered a sharp increase in coronavirus cases on Thursday.  Confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia spiked overnight with 771 new cases registered across the country, bringing official totals to 3,548 infections and 30 deaths. Speaking in a televised address,…

A 36-year-old Russian journalist died from the coronavirus this week, authorities said on Thursday two days after her passing, drawing criticism for allegedly withholding the news. Anastasia Petrova, chief editor of the Delovoy Interes business weekly in the city of Perm 1,400 kilometers east of Moscow, was hospitalized with pneumonia on March 24. Regional health…

Moscow’s small businesses have temporarily shuttered their doors as the city cracks down on the coronavirus pandemic — but many owners fear that they won’t be able to bounce back once the health crisis is over. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin imposed an indefinite partial lockdown starting Monday to slow the fast-spreading coronavirus, ordering the city’s 12…

Russia’s top football clubs are losing around one billion rubles a week ($12.8 million) as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. All sporting events in Russia have been canceled and the Russian Premier League season has been suspended until at least 31 May. Business daily RBC reported that the 16 clubs in Russia’s top league…

Russia could close to the public or reschedule its annual parade in Red Square that commemorates the Soviet victory in World War II due to the coronavirus pandemic, the RBC news website reported Thursday. Russia marks Victory Day every May 9 with military parades and processions across the country, with Moscow’s massive parade as the…

What might have sounded like a dystopian scenario at the start of the year could become reality in Moscow very soon. Under a proposed system to fight the spread of the coronavirus, every trip outside — from buying essentials to walking the dog — will have to be approved in advance by the authorities. Mayor…

Russia sent a military plane carrying protective gear and ventilators to the United States on Wednesday to help the country battle the deadly coronavirus outbreak. Shortly after, the U.S. said it purchased the medical supplies from Russia, the State Department said Wednesday, contradicting the Kremlin’s initial description of the shipment as humanitarian aid. Who really paid…

The Russian economy has been rocked by the coronavirus outbreak, and the breakdown of the OPEC+ oil production pact between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The turmoil has shocked traders around the world and resulted in sharp volatility on the Russian stock markets and swings in the value of the ruble. The latest on the markets,…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 47,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to tackle the pandemic and prevent its spread within the country. There have been 3,548 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 30 deaths. MT The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia as…

Russia’s officially reported numbers — which are still smaller than those in European countries — have sparked suspicion. Experts warn that Russia’s testing capacity is hampered by bureaucracy, while officials warn that the real number of cases is likely much higher. Most of Russia’s cases are in Moscow. Last week, Moscow changed the way it…

Russia could extend President Vladimir Putin’s weeklong paid time off for another week as it looks to fight the deadly coronavirus outbreak, the Kommersant business daily reported Thursday. Putin declared a “non-working week” from March 28 to April 5 to encourage Russians to stay home and slow the spread of coronavirus, which has infected 2,777…

Both houses of Russia’s parliament swiftly approved legislation Tuesday imposing severe punishments for spreading false information about the coronavirus and breaking quarantine rules as most regions have gone into lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus. President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday signed the bills — which include provisions for more accessible medication — into law,…

Russia has earmarked almost $18 billion to battle the coronavirus pandemic, the prime minister said Wednesday as Moscow imposed a strict lockdown. The finance ministry “has reserved 1.4 trillion rubles ($17.8 billion) in all for fighting the spread of the coronavirus and carrying out anti-crisis measures,” Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin told President Vladimir Putin during…

The republic of Chechnya will close its internal borders this Sunday, becoming the first Russian region to bar entry to fellow citizens as novel coronavirus cases slowly spread across the world’s largest country. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov announced on Instagram that his region will ban entry into and exit from Chechnya by land or air…

As Russia closed its borders and moved toward increasingly strict self-isolation measures, its post-Soviet neighbors have taken a wide range of approaches to the rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic, from relaxed to high-alert. Here’s a look at how some of the post-Soviet republics, where 4,375 people have been infected across 12 countries as of Wednesday, are…

Yekaterina Shergova is scared. Her sick children’s charity Podari Zhizn — Russian for Gift of Life — has already seen donations drop since the start of the coronavirus outbreak and she fears she will have to turn down requests for medical support, care and drugs for children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Shergova, 45,…

Russia has sent coronavirus test kits, masks and protective gear to coronavirus-hit countries around the world even as it grapples with an outbreak of the pandemic at home, a move that observers say is linked to the Kremlin’s geopolitical ambitions. The fast-spreading virus has infected over 870,000 people and killed 43,000 across the globe. The…

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has decided to handle his duties remotely, the Kremlin said Wednesday, after the head of the country’s main coronavirus hospital tested positive following a meeting with the president. Denis Protsenko, who met with Putin last week as the Russian leader visited the Kommunarka hospital in Moscow, said Tuesday he had been…

Moscow, a bustling city of 12 million people, has become a ghost town amid the coronavirus pandemic. As Russia tries to keep the coronavirus from spreading, the capital has been placed under strict indefinite quarantine. Muscovites may only leave their homes to buy groceries, go to the pharmacy, take out the trash or walk their…

The number of coronavirus infections in Russia’s republic of Komi has increased steadily since the first case was confirmed on March 16. Regional health authorities now say that a total of 54 people are confirmed to be carriers of the virus. This number is among highest number in the country. Only the Moscow region, St. Petersburg…

Moscow authorities have developed a QR code system to allow residents to leave their homes as well as a smartphone app to monitor coronavirus patients’ movement in self-isolation, the city’s IT chief said Wednesday after tech experts raised privacy questions. Moscow enacted an indefinite citywide self-isolation order on Monday, requiring its 12 million residents to…

As the new coronavirus that has killed more than 42,000 people worldwide continues to spread, Russia has stepped up its measures to tackle the pandemic and prevent its spread within the country. There have been 2,777 cases of coronavirus infections reported in Russia so far and 24 deaths. MT The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia as…

Russia’s officially reported numbers — which are still smaller than those in European countries — have sparked suspicion. Experts warn that Russia’s testing capacity is hampered by bureaucracy, while officials warn that the real number of cases is likely much higher. Most of Russia’s cases are in Moscow. Last week, Moscow changed the way it…

The Russian economy has been rocked by the coronavirus outbreak, and the breakdown of the OPEC+ oil production pact between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The turmoil has shocked traders around the world and resulted in sharp volatility on the Russian stock markets and swings in the value of the ruble. The latest on the markets,…

Rights campaigners are urging the Russian government to consider releasing some pre-trial detainees and prisoners held in the country’s packed jails, warning of the “devastating consequences” of the coronavirus pandemic. More than half a million people are held in Russia’s notoriously crowded prisons in what is the European continent’s largest prison population. In a letter Tuesday…

The truth is in the eye of the beholder. Italians who have received extensive coverage in Russian state media for playing the Russian anthem or waving the Russian flag in gratitude to Moscow’s coronavirus aid have either family or financial connections to Russia, BBC Russia reported Tuesday. Critics have argued that the package of decontamination…

The head of Moscow’s main coronavirus hospital who met with President Vladimir Putin a week ago has tested positive, he said Tuesday, as the Kremlin announced the Russian leader’s health was fine. Last Tuesday Denis Protsenko met with the Russian leader who inspected the Kommunarka hospital while wearing a bright yellow hazmat suit. But the…

This week more than 80 units of military hardware rolled out of their compounds in the Kola Peninsula to participate in exercises, the Northern Fleet informs. The exercises involved motorized infantry units of the Northern Fleet’s Arctic Brigade, and included military equipment such as self-propelled Gvozdika howitzers, the Strela-10 anti-aircraft missile system, and MTLB armored transport…

As many as 300 Central Asian migrants hoping to return home from Russia because of the coronavirus pandemic were kicked out of Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport overnight, according to reports on social media Tuesday. Migrant workers from Central Asia have been stranded in unsanitary conditions at Moscow’s four international airports for weeks after airlines canceled flights…

Authorities in Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi have imposed strict measures to keep tourists away from the city as locals expressed concern that visitors could bring an outbreak of the coronavirus with them. President Vladimir Putin declared a nationwide paid holiday from March 28 to April 5 in a move to tackle the coronavirus…

As Russia’s battle against the coronavirus steps up with strict quarantines being rolled out across major cities, a new report has shown that six in 10 Russians have no savings at all. Otkritie Bank found that only 36% of Russians have a financial cushion, with the rest reporting no savings whatsoever. The findings raise concerns…

The call came just after 9 pm on a Monday, as Nataliya Kharitonova was heading into one of her two textile factories to take stock of supplies. Kharitonova, 40, founded Tekstil Komi 18 years ago in Syktyvkar, the capital city of the republic of Komi in Russia’s northwest. The company produces household linens — pillows,…

The Russian economy has been rocked by the coronavirus outbreak, and the breakdown of the OPEC+ oil production pact between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The turmoil has shocked traders around the world and resulted in sharp volatility on the Russian stock markets and swings in the value of the ruble — both of which are…

Russia and other countries have sent medical aid to the United States, the hardest-hit country in the deadly coronavirus outbreak, U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday. Russia previously sent decontamination units and military medical staff to coronavirus-hit Italy, raising questions over whether the move was an attempt at a publicity coup at home and abroad…